Page:The Life of Sir Thomas More (William Roper, ed by Samuel Singer).djvu/178

 opportune tyme or times as your wisedome may finde, to help that his Highnes may by your goodnes be fully enformed of my true faithful minde, that he may the rather by the meanes of your wisedome and dexterite consider that in the mater of the nonne, there was neuer on my parte any other minde than good: nor yet in any other thing elles, neuer was there, nor neuer shall there be, any further faute founde in me, than that I cannot in euery thing thinke the same way that some other men of more wisedome and deper learning do: nor can finde in mine hart otherwise to say, than as mine owne conscience gyueth me. Which condicion hath neuer growne in any thing that ever might touch his gracious pleasure, of any obstinate minde or misse affectionate appetite, but of a timerouse conscience, rising happely for lakke of better parceyuing, and yet not without tender respect vnto my most bounden duty towardes his noble Grace: whose only fauour I so muche esteme, that I nothing haue of mine owne in al this worlde except only my soule, but that I will with better wyll forgo it, than abyde of hys Highnes one heauye displeasant loke. And thus I make an ende of my long troubelous proces, beseching the blessed Trinite for the great goodnes ye shewed me, and the gret comfort ye doe me, bothe bodely and ghostely, to prosper you and in heauen rewarde you.

I was before the Lordes at Lambeth, I was the first that was called in, albeit that Maister Doctour, the vicar of Croidon, was come before me, and divers others. After the cause of my sending for, declared unto me, (whereof I somewhat meruailed in my mind, considering that they sent for no mo temporall men but me) I desired the sight of the othe, which they shewed me under the great seale. Than desired I the sight of the act of the succession, which was deliuered